City of Asotin

10/08/2026

Tips for a Safe Halloween
Halloween can be a fun holiday for kids, but a worrisome one for parents. Concerns about children's safety--whether they are out in the neighborhood or back home with bags of bounty--can darken the day more quickly than a black cat. But not to worry! To make Halloween a treat, follow these safety tips.
ADULTS
Make sure the path to your door is clear and well lit, welcome trick-or-treaters with your porch lights and turn on any exterior lights.
Sweep leaves and other debris from sidewalks and walkways to prevent any slip hazards.
Use alternatives instead of candles and open flames.
Report any suspicious or criminal activity to your police department immediately.
9-1-1 or 509-758-2331
Do not give homemade or unwrapped treats to children.

MOTORISTS
Exercise extreme caution when driving a vehicle. Be on the alert for excited youngsters, whose vision may be obscured by masks, darting out into traffic.
Never Drink and Drive
TRICK OR TREAT TIPS
Make sure your kids dress up safely
Make sure costumes are flame retardant so children aren't in danger near burning jack-o-lanterns.
Keep costumes short to prevent trips, falls, and other bumps in the night.
Try make-up instead of a mask. Masks can be hot and uncomfortable, and they can obstruct a child's vision, a dangerous thing when kids are crossing streets and going up and down steps.
Make sure kids wear light colors or put reflective tape and glow sticks on their costumes.
Make costumes loose for warm clothing underneath.
Sword, Knives, and other costume accessories should be short, soft, and flexible to prevent injury.
Wear comfortable, safe shoes.

Make trick-or-treating trouble free
Trick-or-treaters should always be in groups, so they aren't a tempting target for real-life goblins. Parents should accompany young children.
Make sure older kids trick-or-treat with friends. Tell them to stop only at homes where the outside lights are on.
Try to get your kids to trick-or-treat while it's still light out. If it's dark, make sure someone has a flashlight, add reflective tape and glow sticks to costumes and bags, and pick well-lit streets.
Do not go inside anyone’s home. Always remain on the porch.
Do not approach or accept rides from strangers and be sure children do not approach any vehicle, occupied or not.
Remind kids to keep a safe distance from moving cars.
Cross only at street corners or crosswalks, never between parked cars, and never diagonally across an intersection.
Look in all directions before crossing the street and obey all traffic signals. Walk, never run, across the street, and use sidewalks, not the street, for walking.
If there is no sidewalk, walk along the edge of the road as far off the travel lane as possible, facing traffic.
Do not take shortcuts through back yards, alleys, or dark parks.
Do not eat any treats until parents have inspected them.
Discard any homemade or unwrapped treats.
Provide a cell phone if not accompanied by an adult and teach children how to call 9-1-1 in an emergency.
Start early. Try to finish before dark. Have a flashlight.
Check all treats before eating
It's hard for kids to hold back from eating their treats until they get home. One way to keep trick-or-treaters from digging in while they’re still out to feed them a meal or a snack beforehand.
Check out all candy in a well-lit place when your trick-or-treater gets home.
What to eat? Only unopened candies and other treats that are in original wrappers. By all means remind kids not to eat everything at once or they'll be feeling pretty ghoulish for a while!
Halloween can be a lot of fun for parents and kids alike--if everybody remembers the tricks and treats of playing it safe.
THE ASOTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT WISHES YOU A SAFE AND HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!!!!!

For more safety tips refer to http://www.halloween-safety.com

10/05/2026

Critical Incident Training at Asotin Anatone Schools

On Monday, October 5, 2026, the Asotin Police Department and Asotin-Anatone School District hosted a joint active shooter training at Asotin-Anatone School. The exercise brought together personnel from the Asotin Police Department, Asotin-Anatone School District, Clarkston Police Department, Whitcom 911, Asotin County Sheriff’s Office, and Washington Fish and Wildlife Police.

The main goal of this training was to help school staff prepare for a critical incident. By practicing in a familiar setting, staff could better understand their roles, consider how they might respond, and become more comfortable coordinating with emergency responders. The exercise also gave participating agencies an opportunity to work through response procedures together before an emergency occurs.

Training of this kind helps school staff see firsthand how a critical incident may unfold and put their training into practice. It also helps officers become familiar with the school’s layout—important preparation, since many responding officers may never have been inside the building.

In a real incident, agencies from across the region could respond. Joint exercises help ensure officers have the practical tools and information they need, including compatible radio frequencies and the appropriate keys or access credentials to enter the building. They also help participants identify questions or gaps in plans that can be addressed before an emergency.

The training gave command staff an opportunity to consider broader response needs, such as identifying a location for medical care and a Life Flight landing zone, managing traffic, designating areas for media, and planning where parents and students could reunite. These preparations can help agencies and school staff coordinate more effectively and support the needs of students, families, and the community.
This training is invaluable and very much needed. Preparing together helps school staff and responding agencies understand their roles, communicate effectively, and plan for the many needs that can arise during a critical incident.

The Asotin Police Department would like to thank the Clarkston Police Department and Officer John Morbeck for their assistance with the training. Also, a thank you to the Asotin-Anatone School District and all participating agencies for their cooperation and commitment to preparedness and school safety.

Chief Monte Renzelman
Asotin Police Department
Asotin WA

10/05/2026

TRAINING! OCTOBER 5, 2026
11:00 - 3:30
Large Law Enforcement presence will be at the ASOTIN SCHOOL for TRAINING of Active Shooter.
Asotin Police Department will be putting on this training.

09/30/2026

Asotin School Holiday Craft Fair!
OCTOBER 24th. SAVE THE DATE
Vendor Space $40.00
Asotin High School - 509-243-3136
https://cityofasotin.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Asotin-2026-Holiday-Craft-Fair.pdf

09/17/2026

PROCLAMATION - CONSTITUTION WEEK 1787
Marks the 238th Anniversary
SEPTEMBER 17-23, 2026
Bell ringing will take place in the LC Valley at 1:00.

08/31/2026

08/14/2026

E-BIKE INFORMATIONAL HANDOUT! Each E-Bike has different rules. Check out the chart to ride legally and safe.!

08/14/2026

Asotin Police Department
Back to School Safety for children
The Asotin Police Department wants all children to be safe for the upcoming school year. However, Child Safety starts with the Parents/Guardians. We all must teach our children to be safe and to follow our lead in personal safety. Take the time to talk with your children about personal safety. Do not assume your child knows what to do. Read each Safety Tip to them. Review each safety tip and get feedback about their concerns and questions.
Be SAFE! Personal Safety for Kids……………….
Walking to School…………………………………...
Safety around the School Bus………………………
Bike Safety…………………..………………………
CyberSafety/Internet Safety for Kids……………..
Home Alone…………………………………………
1. Be SAFE! Personal Safety for Kids
• Be alert and aware of people and their surroundings.
• Familiarize your child with your neighborhood.
• If your child is out, the following are the places, safe havens; your child can go for safety: police and fire stations, houses of neighbors you trust, stores, shops, business offices.
• Walk/play with other children and try not to be alone. There is always safety in numbers.
• Stay in well-lighted areas.
• Teach your child to report suspicious persons to you, teachers, police officers, or other responsible adults.
• If your child is approached or followed by a suspicious vehicle or person: 1) Scream 2) Run away in the opposite direction 3) Run to a safe haven 4) Call the police.
• Teach your child what to take notice of when they encounter a suspicious vehicle or person: Type and color of vehicle, license plate number, male/female, clothing description, and distinguishing marks.
• Never hitchhike.
• Talk to your child about their friends and get to know them.
• Let your child know that they can dial 9-1-1 from a public phone for free.
• Speak with your child/children about gun safety. If you have a gun in the home, make sure it has a gunlock on it or is locked in a safe. Teach your child that if they see a gun, they should never touch it. They should run away and tell an adult.
2. Walking to School
Young pedestrians face a wide variety of decisions while walking to and from school. If your child walks to/from school, please review the following safety tips and discuss them with your child.
• Plan a walking route to school or the bus stop. Choose the most direct way with the fewest street crossings and, if possible, with intersections that have crossing guards. (For more see National Center for Safe Routes to school website)
• Walk the route with your child beforehand. Tell him or her to stay away from parks, vacant lots, fields and other places where there aren't many people around.
• Teach your child to cross at designated crosswalks at intersections.
• Mind all traffic signals and/or the crossing guard -- never cross the street against a light, even if you don't see any traffic coming.
• Wear reflective material...it makes you more visible to street traffic.
• Be sure your child walks to and from school with a sibling, friend, or neighbor.
Child Predators/Strangers
• Teach your child never to talk to strangers or accept rides or gifts from strangers. Remember, a stranger is anyone you or your children don't know well or don't trust.
• Teach your child that if a stranger tries to take them away, they should quickly get away and yell, “This person is trying to take me away,” or “This person is not my father/mother/guardian.”
• Teach your child that if a stranger tries to grab them, they must make a scene and make every effort to get away by kicking, punching, screaming, and resisting.
• Children should be taught to never leave school with anyone they do not know. They must always CHECK FIRST with you or another trusted adult. If anyone tells them there is an emergency and they want your child to go with them, your child must always CHECK FIRST with you or another trusted adult before doing anything.
• Make sure to teach your child to tell their teacher or another trusted adult if they notice a stranger hanging around the school.
• Know safe places to go if they do have an emergency
• Continue to have these conversations with your older children
3. Safety around the School Bus
For many children, the “Back to School/School Bus” experience is a new one and they may not understand the safety rules. Even if this is not a new experience, children need to be constantly reminded on the school bus safety rules. Please review the following safety tips and help prepare your child for a safer journey.
• Make sure your child knows their bus number and bus driver. This will reduce your child’s stress and avoid confusion on which bus to ride.
• Make sure your child knows their telephone number and address.
• Parents/Guardians should visit the bus stop with their children. Look around the area where your child will be waiting and report any safety concerns, questions or problems to the school district’s police department.
• Walk the route to and from the bus stop with your child, pointing out landmarks and safe places to go if they are being followed or bothered by a stranger. The safe places can be used if your child needs help.
• Make a map with your child showing acceptable routes to the bus stop using main roads. Avoid using short cuts or isolated areas. The map will be a good guide if your child ever needs help finding their way.
• Teach your child what to do if the bus does not arrive on time.
• Your child should stay with a group while waiting at the bus stop. If anyone bothers your child while at the bus stop, you should teach him or her to get away from that person and tell you or a school administrator.
• If an adult approaches your child for help or directions, remember to remind your child that adults should not ask children for help; they should ask another adult.
• Instruct your child that if anyone confuses scares or makes them feel uncomfortable and this person offers them a ride, they should shout NO! Children should never hitchhike or accept a ride from anyone unless you have told them that it is OK to do so in each instance.
• Tell your child that if anyone follows them on foot to get away from him or her as quickly as possible. If anyone follows them in a vehicle they should turn around, go in the opposite direction, and try to quickly get to a spot where a trusted adult may help them. Advise them to be sure to tell you or another trusted adult what happened.
4. Bike Safety
Many students ride their bicycles to school. Unfortunately, a majority of kids are not familiar with the rules of the road or the guidelines they should follow to keep safe. If a child is riding their bicycle to school or around their neighborhood, Parents/Guardians should review these guidelines and create a “safe route” for the child.
There are new E-Bike laws. A pamphlet has been attached explaining those laws.
When riding a bicycle……..
1. You are considered a driver by law.
2. You are subject to the rules of traffic signs and signals just as motorists.
3. You should be alert to traffic signs and know what they mean.
4. You should know the rules of the road.
5. You should stay to the far right of the roadway or stay in bicycle paths.
6. You should have a high-flying flag on your bike so motorists can see you.

Bicycle Safety Tips
• Instruct your child to always Take A Friend when walking or riding his or her bike to and from school. It is safer and more fun to be with your friends. Walk and ride in well-lit areas and never take shortcuts.
• Bike helmets should have a sticker that says it meets standards set by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). Bike helmets should fit properly and the straps should always be fastened.
• Walk your bike when crossing in crosswalks as a pedestrian, if there is crossing guards follow their direction
• Bike Maintenance - Make sure your seat, handlebars, and wheels fit tightly. - Check and oil the chain regularly. - Check the brakes to be sure that they are working and not sticking. - Check the tires for the right tire pressure.
• Wear bright colored clothes and place reflectors on your bike. This will help other people see you. Also, wear the right clothes and shoes that fit so that nothing gets caught in the bike chain.
• Avoid wearing headphones because the music can distract you and cause you to not notice potential hazards around you.
• To learn more about laws dealing with bicycle riding, please visit http://www.nhtsa.gov
5. Cyber Safety/Internet Safety for Kids
The Internet is a valuable educational medium that can offer students a wealth of information and educational resources. Parents/Guardians should view the Internet in this capacity, but also be very aware of the danger of child predators that use the Internet to expose children to inappropriate subject matter. Please review the following safety tips with your children and share with them the benefits, as well as the dangers of the Internet.
PARENTAL GUIDELINES
• Place the computer in an area that is accessible by the whole family.
• Subscribe to an online service that offers parental control features.
• Purchase blocking software that utilizes passwords and parental controls.
• Spend time with your child exploring the Internet.
• Tell your child that he/she can confide in you without the fear of being punished.
• Talk openly with your child about your suspicions and about online dangers.
• Review all content on your child’s computer including email, browser history, etc.
• Use caller ID services to monitor who is calling.
• Monitor your child’s access to the Internet including email, chat rooms, instant messengers, etc.
INSTRUCT YOUR CHILD TO:
• Always let you know immediately if they find something scary or threatening on the Internet.
• Never give out their name, address, telephone number, password, school name, parent’s name, or any other personal information.
• Never meet face to face with someone they met online.
• Never respond to messages that have bad words or seem scary or weird.
• Never enter an area that charges for services without asking first.
• Never send your picture to anyone without your permission.
6. Home Alone
• Keep doors and windows locked at all times. Teach your child how to lock and unlock all doors and windows.
• Acknowledge all callers through a locked door.
• Never let anyone knows you are alone.
• Post important telephone numbers near all phones in case of emergencies:
o 9-1-1 for Police, Fire, Ambulance, And Poison Control.
o Parent’s/guardian’s work and cellular phone numbers.
o Neighbor’s phone numbers. • If a latch key child:
o Check-in with parent/guardian or neighbor upon arrival at home.
Explain to the child the consequences of not making the call.
• Keep the key concealed.
• No visitors are allowed while the parents/guardians are not at home.
• Never enter the house when you find the door ajar or a window open.
• If your child is being followed by a stranger, on foot or by car, teach your child that they should run to the nearest public place, business, or safe house.

HOUSE RULES
You and your children should agree on rules about what they will do when they are alone. Some of these rules may involve:
1. How long they may talk on the phone.
2. How much TV they may watch and which shows.
3. Whether they should call you when they get home or if they decide to leave the house.
4. What chores they should do before play time.
5. Setting aside a time for homework.
6. What snacks they may have.
7. Kitchen rules, including whether they may use the stove, other appliances, or sharp knives.

08/14/2026

Drivers Use Caution with Back to School
School days bring congestion: Yellow school buses are picking up their charges, kids are hurrying to get to school before the bell rings, harried parents are trying to drop their kids off before work.
It's never more important for drivers to slow down and pay attention than when kids are present – especially before and after school. Give yourself more time so you are not rushed. This time will allow for a smooth transition during school hours and hopefully help in avoiding accidents.

Driving in School Zones
School zones have a high concentration of activities, drivers, bicyclers, and pedestrians. Speed limits are decreased due to this higher concentration of people. Drivers need to use even more extreme caution than normal in these areas.
• Slow down and use caution
• Give yourself more time
• Watch for people crossing roadways in non-crosswalk areas, between vehicle and from driveways, and vehicles parked along the street
• Watch for car doors opening into traffic
• Watch for children running/playing near roadways. Children are not experienced with roadways and can dart out into the roadway
• Watch for people entering the roadway from between vehicles parked along the roadway, especially children as they are shorter and harder to see
• Watch for vehicles suddenly stopping in front of you
• Watch crossing guards and their intent to cross pedestrians
• Use caution with bicyclers near the roadways
If You're Dropping Off
Schools often have very specific drop-off procedures for the school year. Make sure you know them for the safety of all kids. More children are hit by cars near schools than at any other location, according to the National Safe Routes to School program. The following apply to all school zones:
• Have passengers and children in car seats be on the passenger side so as not to exit into the roadway
• Don't double park; it blocks visibility for other children and vehicles
• Never allow passengers to exit while still in the roadway
• Carpool to reduce the number of vehicles at the school
• Don’t complete U-Turns in high traffic areas
Sharing the Road with Young Pedestrians
According to research by the National Safety Council, most of the children who lose their lives in bus-related incidents are 4 to 7 years old, and they're walking. They are hit by a motorist illegally passing a stopped bus. A few precautions go a long way toward keeping children safe:
• Don't block the crosswalk when stopped at a red light or waiting to make a turn, forcing pedestrians to go around you; this could put them in the path of moving traffic
• In a school zone when flashers are blinking, stop and yield to pedestrians crossing the crosswalk or intersection
• Always stop for a school patrol officer or crossing guard holding up a stop sign
• Take extra care to look out for children in school zones, near playgrounds and parks, and in all residential areas
• Don't honk or rev your engine to scare a pedestrian, even if you have the right of way
• Never pass a vehicle stopped for pedestrians
• Always use extreme caution to avoid striking pedestrians wherever they may be, no matter who has the right of way
Sharing the Road with School Buses
If you're driving behind a bus, allow a greater following distance than if you were driving behind a car. It will give you more time to stop once the yellow lights start flashing. It is illegal in all 50 states to pass a school bus that is stopped to load or unload children.
• Never pass a bus from behind – or from either direction if you're on an undivided road – if it is stopped to load or unload children
• If the yellow or red lights are flashing and the stop arm is extended, traffic must stop
• The area 10 feet around a school bus is the most dangerous for children; stop far enough back to allow them space to safely enter and exit the bus
• Be alert; children often are unpredictable, and they tend to ignore hazards and take risks

More school-age pedestrians have been killed during the hour before and after school than any other time of day, according to NHTSA. And, although drivers are required by law to stop for a school bus when it's loading or unloading passengers, they often don't. Children should not rely on them to do so.

08/14/2026

Press Release
Back to School
August 14, 2026
Asotin Police Department

It is good to see schools open back up. It seems like it was so long ago that we last saw kids playing in the school yards. Asotin School District’s first day of school is coming up fast on August 26th. School starts at 8am and releases at 2:30pm. Lunches are staggered throughout the morning and afternoon. These times create higher volumes of traffic and higher volumes of pedestrians around the schools.

School days bring congestion in and around the school property, school buses are picking up or dropping kids off, kids on bikes are hurrying to get to school before the bell rings, and pressured parents are trying to drop their kids off before work. With the first day of school just around the corner the Asotin Police Department would like to remind parents, motorists, and school students to start thinking about safety. Enclosed you will find some safety tips for a wide area of topics including vehicle, bicycle, and pedestrian traffic, as well as bus safety. We hope you find some useful information in these safety tips to help you and your family to be safe, or even to use it as a good reminder.

The safety of our children falls on each one of us to do our part, it is easy to fall into the trap of feeling pressured to get to work or the next activity on the schedule, however, it is important for drivers to slow down and pay attention when kids are present, especially before and after school. According to the National Safety Council, more children are hit by cars near schools than in any other location. The Asotin Police Department would like to remind motorists to be vigilant, follow the rules of the road, and have patience with the hustle and bustle around the school. As well as reminding parents to take a few moments to review the safety precautions set in place with their kids. If each one of us does our part, this will be a great school year!

The Asotin Police Department wishes everyone a safe and happy school year!!

Chief Monte Renzelman 300
Asotin Police Department
Asotin WA